1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to cigar lighters, and more particularly to devices of the type incorporating a socket or well that carries a removable ignitor plug, and wherein the well has a transparent or semi-transparent "glow ring" surrounding it and which is illuminated by a lamp at the rear of the mounting panel that carries the socket.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR .sctn..sctn.1.97-1.99
A number of cigar lighters incorporating illuminated "glow rings" have been proposed and produced, and have met with varying degrees of success.
German Pat. No. 25 35 080 illustrates one construction, involving a tubular ring body having a rearwardly extending projection which carries a lamp socket, and wherein light from the lamp is channelled through the projection and into the ring body, toward the front periphery thereof. Similar constructions are illustrated in German Pat. No. 2,254,712 and British Pat. No. 1,381,060. Several of the disclosed devices were capable of being assembled into an automobile dashboard from the front, thus simplifying installation, for some applications.
Other constructions are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,237,250; 2,648,758; 2,692,938 and 4,079,242. The present invention relates to improvements in the above identified lighter constructions.